Whoopi Goldberg Is the Fashion Week Muse We Need

When Whoopi Goldberg surfaced at Fashion Week last season, the style squad was stoked. But yesterday, the cultural fireball upped the ante, arriving at Tracy Reese's front row...then walking in Opening Ceremony's "Pageant of the People," a runway show and political symposium that co-starred Carrie Brownstein, Ali Wong, and Natasha Lyonne. (Sample dialogue: "If you don't vote, you can't bitch.")

Goldberg continues her runway reign today, albeit with a twist: She'll host a party for her new series, Strut, which officially debuts September 20 on Oxygen. The reality show goes behind the scenes at Slay Model Management, a Los Angeles agency for transgender fashion talent.

We spoke with the Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner about American optimism, reality TV tropes, and Sister Act 2 (because don't lie, you sing "Oh Happy Day" in the shower and that's totally fine).

Whoopi Goldberg at Fall 2016 MADE Fashion Week

We love seeing you at Fashion Week! Why did you start coming to more shows?

I think because I've gotten permission from my style icons like Tim Gunn and André Leon Talley, who say to me, "You don't need to dress like anyone else, because you're your own fashion icon. You represent comfortable. And you do fashion your way, and you should be at Fashion Week." They gave me permission to enjoy it! And it's great! And now with Strut, some of our models are walking in the shows, so I can be there to support them.

How did you get involved with 'Strut'?

I have a [production] company, and we work with [reality TV producers] 44 Blue. They asked if we'd like to get involved. When they explained that it was the first transgender modeling agency, we said, "Yeah, of course!" We have a lot of trans friends. We know lots of people who have been trying to [model]; we know a lot about it.

What can you do for transgender issues that other shows, like 'I Am Cait', can't?

Well, one of the things we felt was missing from the greater conversation is that transgender people have been living and working in America for years...People may think it's a "new" thing; it's not...So we wanted to show not just the political side, which is what you see with Caitlyn Jenner. And not the other side with Laverne Cox, who's great. This is a just different direction. It's folks trying to make their dreams come true, trying to relate to their families, trying to build their careers. It's a real window into their lives.

But it's also about modeling. Did you call Tyra Banks and say, "Listen, I'm doing this reality TV show..."

No, we've been doing this long enough. And what we're doing is not just about becoming a model. It's bigger than that. It's shining a spotlight on folks who know who they are. They know what they want to do. And in terms of modeling, they're already working. They know what they're doing! They're fantastic!

What would you like viewers to learn from 'Strut'?

I'd like everyone to imagine a world where you get a job as Tom, and then the next day you're Tina. Imagine you're in the world where you love what you do, but people say that you can't be who you are. With this show, we're saying you must be who you are. But it's not easy.

Can I ask about your early career for a second?

Of course.

When you were a theater artist in the '80s, you smuggled things to fellow artists in East Berlin. What did you bring them?

Chocolate and candy. That's what we brought in to our friends. We worked in East Berlin with other artists who were smuggled out to come work in the Western Bloc. It was extraordinary because people [in East Berlin] just wanted to know what was happening. Music. Fashion. The news. All of the things we get every day.

You've seen a totalitarian government firsthand. Any words of warning for American voters?

I believe strongly that most people in this country don't want [a totalitarian state]...And when conservatives say, "Get the government out of my backyard," the reality is, you can't say that and put somebody in the White House who's gonna be in your business. So I say if you're worried, vote smart. Vote smart.

Do you know we play the 'Sister Act 2' soundtrack in the office? It's still amazing.

I love that! Listen, I had such a good time doing that movie. My daughter's in that movie. It was a fun film to do. And it shocked a lot of people, because they loved it, and they take it with them. [The] is running all over the world now, on-stage as a musical. It lives!

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